Besides friends, Juan Fernandez-Estrada and Nacho Rivera (1996) they are the founders of the brand Blue Banana Brand.
"Blue Banana seeks to inspire new generations to make their life an adventure" they explain. For this reason, their campaigns are set in destinations such as Costa Rica, Azores or Madeira.
From the beginning they took it very seriously and, based on trust, enthusiasm, enthusiasm and a bit of luck, they have achieved an unprecedented success, making everyone recognize the iconic X of their logo –which they also have tattooed on their skin–.
Their t-shirts and sweatshirts, made with sustainable and recycled materials, are successful on and off social media, where they are very active sharing content and interacting with their followers –the contest they launched a few months ago went viral, reaching 1.5 million participants–.
Next, we talk to Juan and Nacho about fashion, sustainability, entrepreneurship and, of course, travel.
Juan Fernández-Estrada and Nacho Rivera, founders of Blue Banana.
IT ALL STARTED IN AN INTERRAIL
Juan Fernández-Estrada and Nacho Rivera (1996) have been friends since school and in 2016, already at university, they left Interrail for Europe (so far, everything normal for two kids their age).
It was in Amsterdam where they began to devise the project of a clothing brand: “That's where our iconic X originated, which we tattooed and since then has been the logo of our brand. That story and the icon represent the idea of adventure that we want to convey with Blue Banana”, Nacho tells Traveler.es
“We were both fans of brands that were beginning to assert themselves from the power they were gaining on social media,” explains Juan.
And he continues: “we saw an opportunity that, together with our desire to undertake, the little risk we assumed (our initial investment was 3,000 euros between the two of us), confidence in our idea and the desire to do something different, focused on nature, travel and adventure, It made us ask ourselves 'If there are people who are achieving this, why not us?'”.
They were 19 years old and the adventure had only just begun.
In search of adventure (viral).
WE MAKE NOISE, NOT CLOTHES
“We make noise, not clothes” (we make noise, not clothes), they proclaim on their website. And they themselves explain it: “we want to inspire you and encourage you to go out there to see the world and find your own adventure, thus escaping the monotony of everyday urban life. We're not trying to sell you clothes, we're selling you inspiration in the form of entertainment."
“We say that the clothes are what you wear to live that adventure, but that what we really want is to offer an experience”, says Nacho Rivera.
“For us, Blue Banana is a way of understanding life, in which not everything is based on what we do, but on how we do it and why we do it. There are values like sustainability, quality, care of the production chain...” John adds.
“Most companies in the textile sector sell you a product, but we have always wanted to go further. That's why we've become obsessed with the objective of 'making a brand' and working on sustainability and transparency” he concludes.
Both recognize and are aware that they are not fashion experts, nor do they need to be. They don't make clothes just to wear, but to “activate and inspire”.
“This is not about a Paris catwalk clothing brand, but about a clothing brand that has made noise and thanks to him sells clothes” they think
And that is precisely its nature: to make noise. They carry it in their DNA and apply it in each and every one of their facets: “we were born making noise, revolutionizing and connecting with people on Instagram”.
The iconic X of Blue Banana, embroidered in ethnic fabric.
FROM COSTA RICA TO POLYNESIA PASSING THROUGH MADEIRA AND ASTURIAS
Juan and Nacho have known each other for many years and are from the same group of friends. As Nacho himself comments, “we have combined studies and work to the point of overlapping hobbies with work duties. Travel is the perfect example: we both love to take a plane, a boat, a motorcycle (or whatever) and go there, whether it's to the other side of the world or a few kilometers from home.
The shootings of the Blue Banana campaigns take place in incredible destinations, just take a look at their Instagram feed to soak up the the green immensity of the Azores, the wonders of the Dolomites, the beautiful beaches of Asturias or the wild nature of Costa Rica.
Juan and Nacho in full adventure.
They have just returned from French Polynesia, where they have been photographing whales and collaborating with a local NGO. A trip from which many experiences and good times are brought. But without a doubt, there is one that they will never forget: the image of a humpback whale in its natural habitat, a snapshot captured by Gonzalo Pasquier, photographer and Head of Content for Blue Banana.
“We managed to take the photo of our lives. And, beyond the image, we bring a collection of unrepeatable moments, a film that recounts our experience in Polynesia, various blogs and the absolute conviction that we must continue working tirelessly to take care of the planet and all the wildlife that inhabits it” , affirms Nacho Rivera.
THE RECIPE FOR SUCCESS
They are at the top, but they also know what it's like to start from the bottom and from scratch, so the question is a must: when you started the firm, did you think it would be so successful?
“From the beginning we took it very seriously and we saw how the brand had the capacity to continue growing, but we never imagined that we would get to where we are so quickly. We were two friends who were excited and committed to a common project and now we form a team of more than 20 people who row one each day” , Nacho tells Traveler.es
Juan, for his part, affirms that “It makes you dizzy, but we have never lacked confidence, enthusiasm and desire, that together with many other factors (among which we include luck) have allowed us to grow year after year”.
Illusion and desire that from the beginning poured fully into social networks, especially on Instagram. Several of their contests had already had quite an impact, but last April, they launched the campaign Banana Santa 2k21. And the revolution came.
“The idea of doing something big had been around our heads for months, but we were waiting for the campaign and the right moment” Nacho says.
They raffled a trip for two people and a sweatshirt every 100 seconds for 10 hours. Participants had to follow the account, capture the post and share it and mention a friend in the comments. A dynamic typical of Instagram, simple but very affective when it comes to expanding the reach and engagement of the brand.
It is true that they expected a good reception, but they never imagined that the contest would reach such virality: “In 10 hours we got more than 100,000 new followers, more than 1.5 million shares, an increase of more than 500% of visits to the Blue Banana website and a growth of more than 150% in daily sales. A revolution with which we managed to take our brand to the next level. We cannot be more satisfied and grateful”, Juan tells us.
VIRAL, TRAVELABLE AND SUSTAINABLE!
At Blue Banana, they are aware that the textile industry is one of the most polluting, and that is why they are clear that they want to do things differently, with as little impact as possible.
"We are working on a project by which we will fully offset all CO2 emissions from blue-banana, not only from our production, but also from the office, warehouse, stores...” Nacho tells Traveler.es
In addition, they have activated several collaborations with NGOs that work for causes in which they believe, such as the reforestation of the sea, the protection of animals in danger, the planting of trees and the labor integration of people with disabilities.
“We also keep a close eye on the production line, making sure that all the agents involved in it meet the quality standards for garments and welfare for its workers. In short, we understand sustainability as a key and unquestionable pillar of Blue Banana”, says Juan.
Komodo National Park, Indonesia.
Right now, they have several materials coexisting. T-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies they are mostly organic cotton, but they also have some models made with recycled polyester or vegetable fibers from hemp, algae, or Himalayan nettle.
“Our Jambo coat also incorporates recycled Thermolite®, which is a registered leading ecological material,” explains Juan. "And on top of all that, we can be proud that our packaging is made with sustainable or recycled materials” , he finishes.
Regarding packaging, “we use materials that respect the environment. For example, the shipping bag contains 70% recycled materials and the general packaging of each garment is made with PLA, a material that uses natural resources and is 100% compostable”, adds Nacho.
Now, they just launched also the third t-shirt in his Cosmos Limited Edition collection (following the limited editions released for Surf Day and Earth Day) to celebrate the World Photography Day.
Is about a unisex garment produced with recycled cotton from Pyratex®, obtained from surplus industrial production. In addition, the recycling process is carried out in Spain using 50% solar energy. On this occasion, the shirts are anthracite, reminiscent of classic photo reels, and with the slogan "Capture the Adventure".
“We are already thinking about how to improve ourselves” affirms this duo of entrepreneurs. And we have no doubt that they will succeed.
This report was published in the number 147 of the Condé Nast Traveler Magazine (Fall 2021). Subscribe to the printed edition (€18.00, annual subscription, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website). The April issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device
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